Austin Episcopal church may bless same-sex unions

Austin American-Statesman

Updated 9:58 pm, Sunday, May 13, 2012

AUSTIN — St. David's Episcopal Church of Austin would be among the first Episcopal congregations in Texas allowed to offer a liturgy blessing same-sex unions if the Episcopal Church, as expected, approves the trial rite at its general convention in July.

The Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, has named only one other church, St. Stephen's Episcopal in Houston, as among the first with permission to bless same-gender covenants.

Like other denominations, the Episcopal Church has wrestled with the issue of homosexuality for decades. Texas does not recognize same-sex unions, and a number of traditionalists in the Episcopal Church do not favor them.

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The church said the proposed liturgy does not “create or solemnize” any marriage, civil union or legal relationship. Doyle, though he said he would vote against the liturgy blessing at the convention and will not perform the rite himself, hailed its importance as a pastoral offering and an opportunity for the church to stand united despite strong differences of opinion.

“The story here in the Diocese of Texas is about a group of people choosing to live harmoniously in ministry together,” Doyle said. “What we've done is say we're a traditional diocese, (but) we're diverse, and we have different pastoral needs. But instead of being divided by this cultural war, we will stand united and support one another.”

Doyle said that while the vast majority of the diocese is conservative, he chose the Houston and Austin congregations because they are more progressive.

“It would be good to have two churches who are willing to enter into a conversation and who might help us in understanding how to do this well,” Doyle said.

With about 2,500 members and located downtown on East Eighth Street, St. David's is the largest Episcopal church in Austin, according to the Rev. David Boyd, the church's rector. “It has a significant gay and lesbian population who are embraced and involved across the breadth of activities within the parish,” Boyd said.

Under the proposal, churches could seek permission to offer the rite beginning later this year, at Advent. Congregations also have the options of taking no action, or stating that they will not conduct rites for same-sex unions.

If approved at the convention and supported by the congregation, St. David's would accept the bishop's invitation and probably offer the rite early next year at the earliest, after the congregation and clergy complete an educational process laid out in the bishop's proposal, Boyd said.

Like the Episcopal Church, St. David's is not of one mind either on the issue of blessing same-sex unions, he said, adding, “Among some people there's joy and expectation, and among others, there's concern and trepidation.”

Though the Episcopal Church has historically defined marriage as between a man and a woman, Boyd said that over the past two decades it has sought “to articulate that gays and lesbians are children of God and full members of the church, and we have sought to live that at St. David's.”